Dispenser with liquid-impervious vent

ABSTRACT

A dispensing device for liquid medication is formed in the shape of a straw. The device has a passage extending therethrough with the upper end closed by a removable cover. The lower end has means to permit the introduction of air into the passage whereby suction on the upper end of the passage results in the liquid medication within the passage being dispensed into the mouth of the user.

United States Patent [72] lnventors Ralph Visconti 3122 Hanna; MiroslavUroshevich, 2505 Fleetwood, both of Cincinnati, Ohio 45211 [21] Appl.No. 876,215

[22] Filed Dec. 1, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 5,1971

Continuation of application Ser. No. 694,639, Dec. 29, 1967, nowabandoned.

[54] DISPENSER WITH LIQUIDJMPERVIOUS VENT 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 222/478, 128/222, 215/11 [51] Int. Cl .1 867d 3/00 [50]Field 01' Search 222/478,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 898,456 9/1908 Farnham222/478 X Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney-Kinney & SchenkABSTRACT: A dispensing device for liquid medication is formed in theshape of a Shaw The device has a passage extending therethrough with theupper end closed by a remova' ble cover. The lower end has means topermit the introduction ofair into the passage whereby suction on theupper end of the passage results in the liquid medication within thepassage being dispensed into the mouth of the user.

PATENTED EDT 5 I97l FIG.2

FIG.5

w mnw ONE T H NOS fim m u H M L A S R O m M A ORNEYS.

DISPENSER WITII LIQUID-IMPERVIOUS VENT This application is acontinuation of Ser. No. 694,639 filed Dec. 29, 1967, now abandoned.

Liquid medication is normally dispensed from a bottle. The amount ofeach dose is usually prescribed by a physician in tenns of teaspoons orthe like. Thus, whether a patient receives the desired dosage depends onhow accurately the teaspoon is filled and whether the specific teaspoonbeing used is a correct teaspoon measure. Thus, a patient may notreceive the desired dosage of liquid medication.

The present invention satisfactorily overcomes the foregoing problem bydispensing each dose of liquid medication from a separate member. Thus,the patient receives the exact quantity of liquid medication that thephysician desired to be administered. Accordingly, precise control ofeach dose of liquid medication is available when using the dispensingdevice of the present invention.

In giving liquid medication to young children, there always exists thepossibility of spilling some of the liquid medication due to a childsnormal reluctance to take medicine. Therefore, when there is anyspillage, the parent does not know the amount of spillage so no furtherdose is normally given. Thus, the child does not receive the desireddose of liquid medication when any spillage occurs.

The present invention satisfactorily overcomes this problem by packagingthe liquid medication within a tubular member resembling a straw. Thisensures that the desired dose of liquid medication is available. When achild sucks on the tubular member, the entire content within a passagein the tubular member will be received by the child. Thus, the childreceives the desired dose of liquid medication.

In hospitals, the dispensing of liquid medication is normally by fillinga paper cup or the like. This requires a substantial amount of time andhighly skilled labor to perform this function.

The present invention satisfactorily overcomes the foregoing problem inpackaging a predetermined amount of liquid medication within a tubularmember resembling a straw. By removing appropriate closure members andsucking on the straw, the patient readily receives the desired quantityof medication. Thus, the present invention eliminates the timeconsumingrequirement of a highly skilled person to appropriately provide thedesired dose of liquid medication in a hospital.

When using liquid medication packaged in a bottle, the opening of thebottle always presents the problem of contamination since the sterileseal is broken. The present invention satisfactorily eliminates thisproblem by preventing any infection since each dose of the liquidmedication is disposed within a separate member.

When one is required to take liquid medication while one is working awayfrom home or travelling, there exists the problems of both handling abottle to carry the medicine and means for dispensing the medicine fromthe bottle such as a spoon, for example. The present inventionsatisfactorily solves these problems by packaging each dose of liquidmedication in a separate member whereby no large bottle is required noris any type of means for measuring or taking the liquid medicationneeded. Thus, the present invention is particularly useful for takingliquid medication by one who travels or works away from home.

In order for pharmaceutical companies to interest physicians inprescribing their medicines for patients, it is necessary for thepharmaceutical companies to supply the physician with samples. Thephysician normally gives some of these samples to one or more patientsto determine the effectiveness and usefulness of the medicine.

It is a problem to supply samples of liquid medication to physicians.This is because a regular 3-ounce bottle would contain a substantialamount of liquid medication so as to render the cost of the samplerelatively high while a plurality of separate bottles with smallquantities in each also would render the cost of the sample relativelyhigh. Furthermore, when merely providing a single bottle of liquidmedication, the

pharmaceutical company limits the physician's use to only one patient.

The present invention satisfactorily solves this problem by permittingdoses of liquid medication to be contained in separate members with eachof the members having a desired dose of the liquid medication. Thus,when using the dispensing device of the present invention, thepharmaceutical company may supply the physician with separate samples ofthe liquid medication at a reasonable cost and permit the physician tobe able to determine the effectiveness and usefulness of the liquidmedication through giving the samples to several of his patients.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for dispensing apredetermined quantity of liquid medication.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disposable device fordispensing liquid medication.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention are apparent upona reading of this description, which proceeds with reference to thedrawing forming part thereof and wherein:

FIG. I is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one embodimentof the liquid-medication-dispensing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of another form ofthe liquid-medication-dispensing device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of still anotherembodiment of the liquid-medication-dispensing device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a furthermodification of the liquid-medication-dispensing device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a valve utilized in the dispensing deviceof FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIG. I, there is shown oneform of the dispensing device of the present invention. The deviceincludes a first or main tubular member 10 having a passage 11 therein.A second or auxiliary tubular member 12, which has a passage 14 therein,is fixedly secured to the tubular member 10 to form a unitary device.The member 12 is preferably of shorterlength than the member 10 and hasits passage 14 of a smaller diameter than the passage 11 in the tubularmember 10.

The tubular members 10 and 12 are formed of any material that is capableof retaining liquid medication therein. The members 10 and 12 could beformed of a suitable transparent plastic, for example.

One end of each of the passages 11 and I4 is sealed by a removableclosure member 15. The closure member 15 is preferably of a shrink-fittype and may be formed of any suitable material such as that sold byThatcher Glass Company, Muscatine, Iowa under the trademark CELLO-SEAL,"for example. It is desired that the force required to remove the closuremember 15 be sufficient to prevent any child from removing the member15.

The other ends of the passages 11 and 14 are in communication with eachother. The member 10 has an opening 16 therein communicating with anopening 17 in the manner 12 to connect the passages 11 and 12 to eachother. The passages 11 and 14 are filled to a predetermined level withthe liquid medication. The particular level of the liquid medication inthe passages 11 and 14 will depend upon the desired dosage and therelative diameters of the passages 11 and 14.

The ends of the passages 11 and 14 are sealed adjacent the openings 16and 17 in the members 10 and 12, respectively, by a cup-shaped closuremember 18. The member 18 is fixedly secured to the members 10 and 12.With the members 15 and I8 sealing both ends of the passages 11 and 14,a sterile container is provided for the liquid medication.

Considering the use of the dispensing device of FIG. I, the closuremember 15 is removed from the upper end of the members 10 and 12. Whenthe patient sucks on the upper end of the tubular member 10, air isintroduced into the passage 14 in the member 12 whereby the liquidmedication is sucked through the upper end of the passage 11 into thepatient's mouth.

This ensures that the entire and desired quantity of liquid medicationwill be received by the patient. If a child, for example, should ceaseto suck on the liquid medication before it is completely received by thechild, the parent will recognize this when the members and 12 are formedof a transparent material. Furthennore, by fitting the closure member 15so as to require a substantial force for its removal from the members 10and 12, a child cannot accidentally take the liquid medication.

The quantity of the liquid medication may be controlled by varying thediameter of the passage 11 in the member 10, the diameter of the passage14 in the member 12, or the length of either member. Furthermore, whilethe auxiliary member 12 has been shown as a tubular member disposed onone side of the main member 10, it should be understood that theauxiliary member 12 could be an annular member surrounding the first ormain member 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a dispensing device comprising asingle tubular member having a passage 21 formed therein. The tubularmember 20, which resembles a straw, may be formed of the same materialas the members 10 and 12.

The upper end of the passage 21 in the tubular member 20 is sealed by aremoval closure member 22. As with respect to the closure member 15, theclosure member 22 is preferably fitted on the upper end of the tubularmember 20 so as to not be capable of removal by a child. Furthermore,the closure member 22 is preferably formed of the same material as theclosure member 15.

The lower end of the passage 21 is closed by a membrane 23. The membrane23 is formed of a suitable material that will permit air to flow intothe passage 21 when suction is applied at the upper end of the passage21 while preventing the flow of liquid medication from the passage 21through the membrane 23. One suitable example of member 23 is a siliconematerial sold by Dow Corning-Medical Products, Midland, Michigan underthe trademark SILASTIC.

The membrane 23 is retained on the end of the member 20 by a cup-shapedmember 24, which is fixedly secured to the member 20. The cup-shapedmember 24 has an opening 25 therein to permit communication of a portionof the membrane 23 with the atmosphere.

In order to prevent any accidental puncturing of the membrane 23 throughthe opening 25 in the cup-shaped member 24 and to seal the lower end ofthe passage 21, a cover or closure member 26 is removably mounted on thecup-shaped member 24. Thus, the removable closure member 26 ensures thatthe liquid medication remains within the passage 21 in the tubularmember 20 until it is to be utilized and that there is no contaminationof the liquid medication.

When the liquid medication in the passage 21 in the tubular member 20 isto be taken, the closure member 22 is removed and the closure member 26also is removed. Then suction on the upper end of the passage 21 resultsin the liquid medication being sucked from the passage 21 due to the airflowing through the membrane 23. As previously mentioned, the membrane23 prevents any flow of liquid medication therethrough.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a dispensing device having a tubularmember 30 with a passage 31 therein. The tubular member 30, whichresembles a straw, may be formed of the same material as the members 10and 12.

The upper end of the passage 31 is sealed by a removable closure member32. The member 32 is preferably formed of the same material as themember 15 and requires a sufficient force for removal from the member 30in the same manner as described for the members 15 and 22.

The lower end of the member 30 has a plurality of holes or openings 33therein. The size of each of the openings 33, which providecommunication between the atmosphere and the passage 31, is such thatair may flow into the passage 31 but the liquid medication in thepassage 31 will not flow through the openings or holes 33 due to thecapillary action.

The holes 33 are sealed by a removable closure member 34, which ismounted on the tubular member 30 and preferably formed of the samematerial as the closure member 32. Furthermore, the tubular member 30has its bottom end closed rather than being open as in the embodimentsof FIGS. 1 and 2.

When the liquid medication within the tubular member 30 is to be taken,the closure members 32 and 34 are removed. Then, suction on the upperend of the passage 31 results in air being sucked through the holes oropenings 33 into the passage 31. As a result, liquid medication issucked through the upper end of the passage 31 into the mouth of theuser. Because of the size of the openings or holes 33, the liquidmedication will not flow outwardly therethrough during the short periodof time in which the liquid medication is being taken.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a dispensing device having a tubularmember 40, which is preferably formed of the same material as thetubular members 10 and 12 and resembles a straw. The member 40 has apassage 41 extending therethrough.

A removable closure member 42 is mounted on the upper end of the tubularmember 40 to seal the upper end of the passage 41. The member 42 ispreferably formed of the same material as the closure member 15 and isnot removable without sufficient force in the same manner as the member15.

The lower end of the passage 41 is closed by a valve 43. The body of thevalve 43 has slits 44 (see FIG. 5) formed therein to permit air to flowtherethrough when suction is applied to the upper end of the passage 41.However, the slits 44 will not permit the flow of liquid medication fromthe passage 41 through the body of the valve 43.

A cup-shaped member 45 retains the valve 43 at the lower end of thepassage 4l. The cup-shaped member 45 is fixedly secured to the lower endof the member 40 and has an opening 46 therein to permit air to flowthrough the slits 44 in the valve 43 when suction is applied at theupper end of the passage 41.

A closure member 47 is removably mounted on the lower end of the tubularmember 40. The closure member 47 seals the lower end of the tubularmember 40 to ensure sterility of the liquid medication therein.

When the liquid medication in the passage 41 in the tubular member 40 isto be taken, the closure members 42 and 47 are removed. The, suction bythe patient at the upper end of the passage 41 results in the liquidmedication being sucked therethrough due to air flowing through theslits 44 in the valve 43.

The dosage of the liquid medication within the various dispensingdevices of FIGS. 2 to 4 may be selected by varying the length of thetubular member or the diameter of the passage therein. In order that thetubular member resembles a straw, it is preferable to vary the diameterof the passage in the tubular member rather than the length of thetubular member. Furthermore, the concentration of the liquid medicationmay be varied to permit the desired dosage to be contained within thetubular member.

An advantage of this invention is that it ensures that the desired doseof liquid medication is administered. Another advantage of thisinvention is that liquid medication is easily administered to childrenand older persons. A further advantage of this invention is that theliquid medication remains sterile since there is no contaminationthereof due to opening its container and using only a portion thereof.Still another advantage of this invention is that it provides a portableliquidmedication-dispensing device of relatively small size. A stillfurther advantage of this invention is that it reduces hospital laborcost in dispensing liquid medication.

For purposes of exemplification, particular embodiments of the inventionhave been shown and described according to the best presentunderstanding thereof. However, it will be apparent that changes andmodifications in the arrangement and construction of the parts thereofmay be'resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

We claim:

l. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose of liquid medication,said device comprising a member having a passage extending therethrough,said passage having a predetermined dose of liquid medication therein,removable means closing one end of said passage, second means at theother end of said passage permitting air to enter the other end of saidpassage when the user creates a suction at said one end of said passageto dispense the liquid medication from said member through said one endof said passage and preventing the escape of liquid medication from saidother end of said passage, said second means being at all times perviousto air and at all times impervious to liquid, said predetermined dose ofmedication located between said one end of said passage and said secondmeans and said predetermined dose of medication being in contact withsaid second means.

2. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose of liquid medication,said device comprising a tubular strawlike member having a passageextending therethrough, said passage having a predetermined dose ofliquid medication therein, removable means closing one end of saidpassage and second means to permit air to enter the other end of saidpassage when the user creates a suction at said one end of said passageto dispense the liquid medication from said member through said one endof said passage, said second means preventing the escape of liquidmedication from said other end of said passage, said second meansincluding a second tubular strawlike member fixed securely to saidfirst-mentioned member, said second member having a passage therein withone end communicating with the atmosphere, a cap simultaneously closingthe other end of said passage in said second member and said other endof said passage in said first-mentioned member, means at all timesconnecting said passage in said second member with said passage in saidfirst-mentioned member adjacent other end of each of said passages topermit air to flow from said passage in said second member to saidpassage in said first-mentioned member and said removable means alsoclosing said one end of said passage in said second means.

3. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose of liquid medication,said device comprising a member having a passage extending therethrough,said passage having predetermined dose of liquid medication therein,removable means closing one end of said passage and second means topermit air to enter the other end of said passagewhen the user creates asuction at said one end of said passage to dispense the liquidmedication from said member through said one end of said passage, saidsecond means preventing the escape of the liquid medication from saidother end of said passage and said predetermined dose of medicationbetween said one end of said passage and said second means, said secondmeans including a plurality of openings formed in said member andconnected with said passage adjacent said other end of said passage,each of said openings being of a size to allow flow of air into saidpassage while preventingthe flow of liquid medication in said passagetherefrom, and means removably mounted on said member to close saidopenings in said member. I

4. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose of liquid medication,said device comprising a member having a passage extending therethrough,said passage having a predetermined dose of liquid medication therein,removable means closing one end of said passage and second means topermit air to enter the other end of said passage when the user createsa suction at said one end of said passage to dispense the liquidmedication from said member through said one end of said passage, saidsecond means preventing the escape of the liquid medication from saidother end of said passage and said predetermined dose of medicationbetween said one end of said passage and said second means, said secondmeans including a valve disposed at said other end of said passage,means to return said valve at said other end of said passage,

and means removably mounted on said member to prevent flow of airthrough said valve.

5. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose of li quid medication,said device comprising a member having a passage extending therethrough,said passage having a predetermined dose of liquid medication therein,removable means closing one end of said passage and second means topermit air to enter the other end of said passage when the user createsa suction at said one end of said passage to dispense the liquidmedication from said member through said one end of said passage andsaid second means preventing the escape of the liquid medication fromsaid other end of said passage and said predetermined dose of medicationbetween said one end of said passage and said second means, said passagecomprising a body having slits therein to allow airflow into saidpassage while preventing flow of the liquid medication in said passagetherefrom.

1. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose of liquid medication,said device comprising a member having a passage extending therethrough,said passage having a predetermined dose of liquid medication therein,removable means closing one end of said passage, second means at theother end of said passage permitting air to enter the other end of saidpassage when the user creates a suction at said one end of said passageto dispense the liquid medication from said member through said one endof said passage and preventing the escape of liquid medication from saidother end of said passage, said second means being at all times perviousto air and at all times impervious to liquid, said predetermined dose ofmedication located between said one end of said passage and said secondmeans and said predetermined dose of medication being in contact withsaid second means.
 2. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose ofliquid medication, said device comprising a tubular strawlike memberhaving a passage extending therethrough, said passage having apredetermined dose of liquid medication therein, removable means closingone end of said passage and second means to permit air to enter theother end of said passage when the user creates a suction at said oneend of said passage to dispense the liquid medication from said memberthrough said one end of said passage, said second means preventing theescape of liquid medication from said other end of said passage, saidsecond means including a second tubular strawlike member fixed securelyto said first-mentioned member, said second member having a passagetherein with one end communicating with the atmosphere, a capsimultaneously closing the other end of said passage in said secondmember and said other end of said passage in said first-mentionedmember, means at all times connecting said passage in said second memberwith said passage in said first-mentioned member adjacent other end ofeach of said passages to permit air to flow from said passage in saidsecond member to said passage in said first-mentioned member and saidremovable means also closing said one end of said passage in said secondmeans.
 3. A device for dispensing a predetermined dose of liquidmedication, said device comprising a member having a passage extendingtherethrough, said passage having a predetermined dose of liquidmedication therein, removable means closing one end of said passage andsecond means to permit air to enter the other end of said passage whenthe user creates a suction at said one end of said passage to dispensethe liquid medication from said member through said one end of saidpassage, said second means preventing the escape of the liquidmedication from said other end of said passage and said predetermineddose of medication between said one end of said passage and said secondmeans, said second means including a plurality of openings formed insaid member and connected with said passage adjacent said other end ofsaid passage, each of said openings being of a size to allow flow of airinto said passage while preventing the flow of liquid medication in saidpassage therefrom, and means removably mounted on said member to closesaid openings in said member.
 4. A device for dispensing a predetermineddose of liquid medication, said device comprising a member having apassage extending therethrough, said passage having a predetermined doseof liquid medication therein, removable means closing one end of saidpassage and second means to permit air to enter the other end of saidpassage when the user creates a suction at said one end of said passageto dispense the liquid medication from said member through said one endof said passage, said second means preventing the escape of the liquidmedication from said other end of said passage and said predetermineddose of medication between said one end of said passage and said secondmeans, said second means including a valve disposed at said other end ofsaid passage, means to return said valve at said other end of saidpassage, and means removably mounted on said member to prevent flow ofair through said valve.
 15. A device for dispensing a predetermined doseof liquid medication, said device comprising a member having a passageextending therethrough, said passage having a predetermined dose ofliquid medication therein, removable means closing one end of saidpassage and second means to permit air to enter the other end of saidpassage when the user creates a suction at said one end of said passageto dispense the liquid medication from said member through said one endof said passage and said second means preventing the escape of theliquid medication from said other end of said passage and saidpredetermined dose of medication between said one end of said passageand said second means, said passage comprising a body having slitstherein to allow airflow into said passage while preventing flow of theliquid medication in said passage therefrom.